Aftermath
by The Enigmatic Man
Summary: Two weeks after the defeat of Kessler, Empire City is promised freedom from its quarantine. .:UPDATE!:. This is it! The action packed chapter you've been waiting for! No time to explain, just read!
1. Chapter I : Aftermath

**Aftermath**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

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Disclaimer: The characters in this story are all from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch**.

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_Thirty six days, eight hundred sixty-four hours, and more than a thousands deaths since Empire City was placed under quarantine and today the government is supposed to be distributing a 'cure' for all of us. They promised us freedom after the cure is administered. I should be happy to finally get out of this place but how can I trust a government that's been lying to us from day one? I've been busting my ass to protect everyone here from the gangs, violence, looters, riots, and pretty much keeping this place on its feet while the news tells everyone that it's the effort of the United States keeping us together. I have every right to expose them for the liars they really are but I guess I have to make sure we get this damn quarantine lifted._

Cole finally gets off of his comfortable red couch and stretches out his sore muscles. Trying to take on sixty Reapers at once may not have been the best idea but the difficult feat put a decent dent in the amount of remaining gang members in the Neon District. Cole slowly walked over to the television when it began to broadcast the news report about the cure.

"Shut the hell up…" Cole said before draining the electricity from his television until it finally cut off. The feeling of fresh electricity coursing through his veins was truly invigorating yet he craved more.

_I guess this'll do for now. I don't want to be late to seeing these clowns in action._

Cole leaped off the roof and used his static thrusters to glide him across to the train tracks. Thanks to perfect timing, Cole landed perfectly on top of the still moving train.

As the lone figure rode atop the speeding train, the people of Empire City halted whatever they were doing to show signs of admiration to their beloved hero. Shouts from all over echoed through the streets as everyone yelled words of appraisal and love. At that moment, Cole thought back to his second week of having his powers.

Jumping from rooftops and landing perfectly fine was fun but when he helped drop the food for everyone he realized something. His realization became more definitive after he took down his first group of Reapers. Suddenly, it all made sense to him. His powers weren't given to him for cheap thrills; instead, they were there to make a difference in Empire City. However, this enlightening epiphany was cut short when he was labeled a terrorist and blamed for the explosion that lead to the quarantine. He and Zeke's plan to break free took a nasty turn that ended in a face to face confrontation with a wall of machine gun turrets. Now here he was, the same man that couldn't walk down the street without being attacked was now heading to the same bridge where so many died trying to escape to hopefully prepare for the end of the quarantine.

_It feels like just yesterday you were telling me it's going to be fine and we're going to get out of this place. Now the quarantine is going to be lifted and you're not here to leave with me…I miss you Trish…_

The roars of endless people in line at the bridge snapped Cole out of his daze. He quickly jumped off of the train and let the momentum of the large metal transport sling shoot him on to the nearest rooftop.

"Holy shit!" Cole exclaimed after looking down at the thousands of people that lined up halfway across the city. Every single one of them was ready and willing to be injected whatever their government wanted as long as it leads to freedom. Cole further examined the bridge to see a line of gun carrying soldiers that barricaded the entire bridge. Behind them was seventy-five medical stations set up on the bridge from the line to the still prohibited quarantine wall. He also made sure to note the two helicopters hovering at the base of the bridge with mounted turrets aimed down at the crowd.

_I guess I should get in line..._

Cole used his static thrusters to slowly descend onto the ground of the nearby alley. He then casually exited the alley to take a quick glance at the bridge.

_Wow, how can they sling us this bullshit about the army helping us when it's so obvious these people haven't even stepped foot in Empire City…I guess I can use that to keep a low profile._

Cole made his way toward the crowd when the inevitable took place.

"Oh my God, look its Cole!" One woman shouted in excitement.

"We love you Cole!" Another voice from the crowd yelled.

The cheers drastically grew in volume as the news of their savior's presence caused them to lose all control. Cole's futile attempt at keeping a low profile was almost as useless as his attempts at quieting the immense ocean of admirers. Everyone took notice, including the government pawns.

"Please, go ahead of me Cole. It's the least I can do for a hero." One man said as he prompted Cole to step in front of him. Cole nervously smiled and moved forward.

_I remember him, I ran the looters out of his store once…I remember her too; I got rid of all those surveillance things on her building…Come to think of it… I think I helped almost everyone here._

As Cole's memories took him to a chain of heroic deeds, those he had saved by doing those same deeds gave him their place in line. In a matter of mere minutes, Cole found himself at the head of the line.

The wall of armed soldiers made an opening for Cole and didn't hesitate to stare at the man whose name was still being chanted by the crowd. The feeling of hundreds of eyes staring directly at Cole made him uneasy. He was lead to the station furthest away from the crowd.

"The doctor will be with you shortly." Cole was told as he was prompted to take a seat on the bed.

_That's just great, I'm finally on my way out of here and my doctor flakes?_

"I apologize for the delay sir. Your name is?" The female doctor said as she lifted her head from reading her clipboard.

"It's-"

"-Cole!?" the doctor shouted in shock.

"It can't be…Amy!?" Cole shouted in utter disbelief.

Cole's memories kicked in yet again. This time it took him back to when he first started dating Trish. It was a couple of weeks into the relationship when Trish introduced her new boyfriend to her sister. It wasn't as nerve racking due to the unfortunate fact that their parents passed away years prior. That only gave Amy more of a reason to be protective. Cole's financial status along with his not so impressive career choice as bike messenger didn't exactly put him in Amy's good graces. Cole's pitiful attempts at trying to hook up Amy with Zeke pushed him even farther away from that goal. However, over time they learned to get along. Amy and Trish both began to study medicine while Cole began saving money to pay for an engagement ring.

Everything changed the day Cole was personally requested to deliver a package that killed countless innocent lives but in turn gave him amazing powers. Trish was presumed dead since her apartment was so close to where Cole's package exploded. Now that he thought about it, there never was a body of Amy to bury. Still, Cole needed answers…now.

"I'm so glad to see your safe!" Amy yelled as she embraced the still confused Cole.

"It's great to see you too but…I thought you were dead." Cole said as he slowly removed Amy's hands and looked into her eyes.

"Didn't Trish get my message about being called out of state for the weekend? Speaking of Trish, where is she? Don't tell me you left her behind in that crowd!"

"Of course not…She's…I don't know how to say it…"

"Just tell me you jerk.'

"Alright Amy…Trish-"

"-We got a situation on our hands!" One soldier shouted as what appeared to be a dozen Reapers made their way from the west, guns blazing and grenades in hand.

Screams of terror filled the sky as the crowded tried as hard as possible to scatter out of harm's way before it was too late. The armed forces tried to retaliate but one grenade managed to land inside of one of the hovering helicopters and the explosion turned the chopper into a fiery metal projectile that took out half of the soldiers on the bridge. Two more well-placed grenades exploded and sent two abandoned vehicles hurdling through the air. One car managed to break off the tail rotor of the last helicopter which caused it to spin in out of control as it inevitably fell into the water. The other burning mass of metal was heading directly toward the center of the bridge where so many innocent lives stood in fright. Cole rushed over at impressive speeds and leaned his body at the perfect angle with his hands near his chest before unleashing a magnetic shockwave that launched the car straight into the water.

Amy watched on in disbelief as Cole ran straight for the cluster of Reapers and leaped in the air. As if time itself had slowed down to a near halt, Cole blasted three Reapers in the head with three powerful and accurate lightning bolts. Cole landed firmly on the ground as his hands discharged his electrical energy. Two of the remaining Reapers tried to escape by running into the nearby alley. Cole opened his right hand and in the blink of an eye, charged up enough energy to form a powerful shock grenade. He launched the ball of electricity over the fleeing thugs and watched as it bounced of the wall before sticking to one Reaper's leg. The explosion knocked both Reapers back into the street before pinning them down at the hands and feet with arc restraints.

The once confident group now split in fear. Five Reapers hid together behind a parked car while the other two Reapers readied their grenades and pulled their arms back at almost the same time. Before they could throw their explosives, Cole blasted a megawatt hammer at the ground in between the pair which propelled them through the air. One unfortunate Reaper landed in the water while the other equally unfortunate Reaper slammed against the building across the street. The last bunch of Reapers unloaded as many bullets as they could to their unstoppable foe. Had their hoods not been concealing their faces, their priceless facial expressions would have surely satisfied the crowd as Cole used his polarity wall. The hundreds of bullets meant to end Cole's life only strengthened him even more as he converted the bullets to energy that he could use to finally end this fight. When the magazines were empty, Cole dropped his wall and cocked his right arm back. He closed his eyes and concentrated a large portion of the energy surging through him to his fist. By the time the Reapers could finish reloading their guns; Cole opened his eyes and focused in on his target. Electricity shot from his pupils as Cole unleashed an overload burst at the Reapers protection. The amplified lightning strike destroyed the car and its explosion knocked every remaining Reaper into the wall. Cole slowly walked over to place arc restraints on them as the crowd began chanting his name yet again.

Cole looked at the people of Empire City and held his head high. This was his life and he was alright with that. While Cole was still cherishing the moment, Amy grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"I want to know everything!"

END


	2. Chapter II : Public Enemy

**Public Enemy**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

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Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch.** All other characters belong to me.

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"Well where do I begin?" Cole said to an extremely anxious Amy who was following every pacing step he took. "Alright, first I think you should sit down." Cole suggested.

"Fine but I have got to hear this. Do you know how much convincing I had to do to make sure I didn't have soldiers follow me here?" Amy said as she took a seat on Cole's favorite red sofa.

"Oh yeah by the way, can you thank them for me next time you talk to them? Your friends did such a great job backing me up over by the bridge." Cole said sarcastically.

"Cut them some slack Cole. They were right in the front of the action and they were caught off guard." Amy replied as she caught Cole's attitude.

"And I wasn't? I've been in that same position for more than a month now."

"Well they don't have super powers now do they Cole?"

Cole gritted his teeth every time he lost an argument with Amy, and this time was no different.

"Speaking of super powers how did my plain old boring almost-brother-in-law get powers anyway?"

"Well what exactly did our caring government tell you happened?" Cole asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Haven't you been watching news? They said it was a terrorist attack on the Historic District and that a bomb took out six city blocks."

"Bull-shit…"

"What do you mean?"

"It was called the Ray Sphere. When activated, it had the ability to drain the neuro-electric energy of everyone in the area and channel it into one person. That's what gave me my powers. The explosion was the Ray Sphere's detonation."

"…So it was your fault? This is all because of you!?" Amy's voice elevated as she got off of the couch and proceeded to walk up to Cole who refused to look her in the eyes.

"No! Well sort of…It's complicated." Cole said as he began to slowly back away from the approaching Amy.

"How is it complicated!? Your 'Ray Sphere' destroyed most of the Historic District, killed countless people, put the city on lockdown, all so you could get powers?"

"You've got it all wrong!" Cole responded as he tried to put his hands on Amy's shoulders to calm her down.

"How could Trish stand by and let this happen? Where is she? I want to talk to her now!" Amy shouted as she smacked Cole's hands away from her.

"Wait…First let me tell you about a man named Kessler…"

**The Pentagon, Washington D.C.**

The most politically powerful men and women in the United States of America begin to roll the footage of a seemingly average Empire City citizen with powers beyond belief. The face of the United States, the most powerful man in the world drops his jaw as he watches Cole MacGrath throw a car over the bridge without touching it. In a matter of minutes, this ordinary man takes down twelve armed gang members without breaking a sweat. There were absolutely no casualties, no bloodshed, just accurate and precise attacks that were completely in his control.

When the video stopped playing, a blanket of absolute silence fell over the room. Everyone turned to the President as they awaited the lights to be turned back on. The head of state regained his composure and picked his jaw up off of the table. He looked around and asked, "I want to know everything we have on him."

"I'm sorry sir but we deleted the files on everyone in Empire City in case it became necessary to resort to…drastic measures." Steven Solis, the Attorney General stated.

"So there is absolutely nothing on file about him?"

"We got his name from the papers he signed to get the cure…that's pretty much it…" Robert Duncan, the Secretary of Homeland Security said quietly.

"We do have someone, a doctor, who says she knows him. Apparently they knew each other before the explosion and are getting reacquainted as we speak. She asked the soldiers not to be followed." Gloria Thompson, the Secretary of Health and Human Service declared.

"Do we have ears on her?"

"Of course we do Mr. President." Gloria Thompson replied.

"We'll have to make due with that then. I want to know everything she knows and I want him here for questioning immediately."

**Zeke's Roof, Empire City**

"…I would not believe a word of this if I didn't see you in action today."

"I know it's a lot to take in at first, trust me."

"Cole…There's still one thing you didn't answer yet…Where's Trish?"

Cole walked away from Amy and made his way toward the edge of his rooftop. He's fallen from much higher buildings so any attempts at suicide would only be a waste of time.

_How do I tell her…How do I tell her that I couldn't save Trish in time…That somehow letting her die was the 'right' choice…I can't…This is all Kessler's fault…My fault…_

A hand on Cole's shoulder pulled him away from his thoughts. Amy spoke softly, "Cole…Where is my sister?"

As Cole turned to look into Amy's beautiful green eyes, the sounds of a massive helicopter echoed through the streets.

"It's probably for me…" Amy said as the government helicopter finally came into view. As the massive helicopter approached the roof, a voice called out over a megaphone saying, "Cole MacGrath! You are under arrest for the involvement in the Empire City bombing and will be brought to Washington D.C. for questioning."

"But how-"

"They probably have a bug on you Amy. I'm not surprised they would stoop so low." Cole said as electricity surged and danced around his fists, prepared for a fight.

Before Cole could plan out a strategy, multiple sharp pains struck his back simultaneously. He slowly turned around to see eight snipers posted on the nearby rooftops. Amy caught Cole as he began to lose his balance but once he finally hit the ground, she was grabbed by another soldier who carried her up to the helicopter. Amy watched as another pair of soldiers lifted Cole's body off of the floor but once the helicopter took off, Cole quickly became a spec in the large city.

"Cole didn't do anything wrong! It wasn't his fault!" Amy shouted at the lead soldier.

"Please relax Ms. Dailey, may I call you Amy?" He said as tried to calm her down.

"I don't care what you call me, I want Cole free. He's not a terrorist, he's a hero! Ask anyone in Empire City. He took down-"

"-We know...Cole dispatched twelve members of the infamous Reaper gang in the blink of an eye."

"How did you know?"

"They're the government sweetheart; there is little they don't know..."

"So what do they want with Cole then."

"That is of little concern to you. I had strict orders from the President himself to remove you from the Empire City Relief Project."

"You can't do that!"

"You will be reassigned to Washington D.C. to ensure that Cole does not 'act out' during his trial."

Amy's temper begins to settle. "Fine…What do you need me to do in the meantime?"

"We have some questions about your friend that we would like you to answer."

"Only if I get to see him and make sure he's alright."

"Oh don't worry; I can assure you he'll be fine."

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Cole rises from the ground and examines his surroundings to see nothing but darkness. He instinctively electrifies his hands to illuminate the area but to no avail.

_Where the hell am I?_

"Take a wild guess Cole…" a voice calls out.

…_It can't be…_

"Why can't it Cole?"

_Kessler…I killed you already._

"Did you really? After all, we are the same person so in theory I exist through you."

_We're nothing alike. You don't care about anyone but yourself. That's why you fled when the people needed you the most._

"And where are you? You're certainly not in Empire City, that I can assure you."

_Wait…Where's Amy!?_

"Who knows? Who cares? She's a hindrance to you now."

_She's the only one I have left!_

"Trish's death means nothing now that Amy is in your life."

_How dare you mention Trish's name!_

"If you truly want to help the people of this world, you must not let any form of emotion get in your way. It hurt me just as much as it did you to watch Trish die but it was for the good of mankind. Now that Amy has taken Trish's place, Trish's death no longer has any significance which means Amy has sealed her own fate."

_If you touch her, I swear to God…_

"What? That you'll kill me? You've already seen how far that has gotten you. You are running out of time Cole. Every day that passes draws you ever closer to the awakening of the Beast. He will not show you any mercy. He will make you watch as he destroys everything you've ever cared about."

_I've been ready to face him the moment you burned your memories into my brain._

"If you are as prepared as you think, then how did you end up in this position? Take a listen to what's going on around you…"

_I can't hear anything._

"Focus Cole…"

As Cole closes his eyes, the voices of unknown men echo through the shadowy realm.

"I'm surprised he went down so easily."

"You got that right. Who would've guessed that Mr. Electric-man over here would've dropped to a few piercing tranquilizer rounds?"

"I don't care what took him down; I just want to make sure this guy stays down for the whole trip."

"How many hours left until we reach Washington?"

"It shouldn't be too long now."

_Washington…Now I remember, I'm under 'arrest' because of you Kessler._

"You're under arrest because you were too busy thinking about Trish to sense the listening device integrated into Amy's phone. Do you see now how even in death Trish is a distraction?"

_I loved her!_

"Then let her death mean something! Let it fuel you, not bring you down!"

The sounds of helicopter blades slowing down began to pierce the darkness as Cole's vision became more and more clouded until he could not even see his own body.

_What's happening!? Kessler!_

END


	3. Ch III : The Spark that Started the Fire

**The Spark that Started the Fire**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

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Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch.** All other characters belong to me.

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"Doctor, he's waking up!" One female voice called out.

Cole fades in and out of consciousness as he floated in a water filled cylindrical container with multiple tubes coming together to provide him with oxygen.

_What…Where…_

Cole struggled to keep his eyes open long enough to process his surroundings. He notices the men and women dressed in white coats watching him through the container. His shirt is gone, in place are multiple cords that continue to read his vital signs on the computer across from his container but before he can gather the strength to say anything, all he sees fades to black.

"Ah, he needs more rest Doctor." Another unfamiliar voice says.

"What should we do sir?" Another voice asks.

"Let's give him time to recover." A masculine voice replies.

**Six Hours Later**

The sounds of Trish's gentle laughter filled Cole's ears as he begins to stir once more. He remembers their first conversation, their first date, their first kiss. He still feels her soft, relaxing touch on his skin. The laughter suddenly changes to screams as he remembers her falling and how he couldn't save her. The man who saved thousands in Empire City couldn't save the most important person in his life.

Cole's eyes finally open and the doctors begin to crowd around him once more. The doctor in front of the rest was a tall, well fit man with a slightly sinister smile on his face.

"Good morning Mr. MacGrath. My name is Doctor Alexander, the leader of Project: Zeus." The doctor says calmly.

"…Zeus?" Cole responds as he slowly regains consciousness.

"Yes, you are subject 0-4-1-9-0-0 and the study of your abilities has been named Project: Zeus." The doctor answered.

_Well I guess I might as well do the name some justice and shove a lightning bolt up this guy's…Wait a minute._

"How is this thing filled with water?" Cole asks as he finally regains all of his strength.

"You mean how you are still alive right now? That is a very good question Mr. MacGrath. You see, we discovered your aquatic weakness after performing multiple extensive tests on your body, cells, DNA, and pretty much everything else. The entire process took days at a time." Doctor Alexander explained.

"Days? How long have I been here!?"

"It has been approximately one week since you arrived at our laboratory but please do not interrupt. Now, where was I? Oh yes, we discovered your weakness as well as your energy storage capabilities and siphoned away your electrical energy which should explain your weakened state. Thus we formed a perfect way to keep you alive and prevent you from causing any harm." Doctor Alexander concluded.

"How long do you honestly think you can keep me in here?" Cole asked with a slight grin on his face that was hidden by the breathing instrument on his mouth and nose.

"As long as we want. There is no point trying to scare us Mr. MacGrath, we know everything about you. Your lovely blonde friend, Amy Dailey I believe her name is told us everything." The Doctor declared with a smile.

_No…Amy wouldn't do that…Would she?_

"I don't believe you." Cole stated.

"Believe what you'd like Mr. MacGrath but I have other matters to attend to. Oh and if you are considering leaving, I suggest draining the electricity from the container itself to give you a decent charge." The doctor chuckled and then added, "But then again once the electricity charges your body, the water will surely cause to short circuit. Good bye Mr. MacGrath."

_What an asshole…_

Cole watched as the doors slid open for the doctor and then closed as he exited the room. He noticed the four armed guards sitting down to the left of his container and the large computer screen not far in front of him that displayed his biological information.

_Alright Cole think, how the hell can I get out of here and not get fried trying? I'm stronger and faster than I was before the blast but I can't break this thing open because of this water resistance. Looks like they got me figured out…I wonder where Amy is…_

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"The subject is awake and contained Mr. President." Doctor Alexander said as the large screen displayed the leader of the United States of America from his private plane.

"I am glad to hear that Doctor Alexander. I should be arriving shortly to speak with him." The President said with hints of excitement in his voice.

"Mr. President, what happens if Cole does not comply?" Doctor Alexander asked.

"Then I will consider listening to your plan." The President said as his excitement ceased.

"I assure you Mr. President Project Prometheus is the perfect back up plan." Doctor Alexander reassured.

"Perhaps, but for now we focus on Cole. Hopefully if everything goes well we won't need Project Prometheus." The President said plainly.

"You're right Mr. President…I will go prepare for your arrival." Doctor Alexander said as he ended the transmission.

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Sleep without the energizing flow of electricity through Cole's body made it a truly uncomfortable experience yet the hours of inactivity inevitably lead to his unpleasant nap regardless of his comfort level.

While the hero slumbered, the sound of the lab doors sliding open caused the guards by Cole's container to rise from their chairs. When the men stepped into Doctor Alexander's laboratory, the guards immediately stood upright to salute their president.

"Good day gentlemen." The President said as he nodded to the guards.

"I'll wake him for you sir." Doctor Alexander said as he approached Cole's container. He knocked three times on the glass as he called out, "It's time to wake up Mr. MacGrath. There is someone who wishes to meet with you."

Cole's sleep holds a firm grip on Empire City's champion as the knocking sounds travel through the water. Suddenly, Cole's biological readings begin to flash as his heart rate increases. Cole's arms and legs begin to flail around while his head moves left and right.

"Doctor Alexander what is going on? Is he alright?" The President asks curiously.

"He's fine sir, I don't know what's causing his panic state." Doctor Alexander assures him as he presses multiple buttons on the computer to discover the source of Cole's distress.

Cole's eyes open as he shouts Trish's name.

"Well it appears that it was merely a-" Doctor Alexander says with a relief.

_Another nightmare..._

"Good to see you're alright Mr. MacGrath. You gave us quite the scare there." The President calmly said to Cole as he approached the container.

"Where's Amy?" Cole demanded.

"Straight to the point, I like that. She was already put on the first flight back to Empire City. She's doing what is best for her city." The President replied.

"So now you care about Empire City? Where were you a month ago?" Cole said coldly.

"I understand your anger Mr. MacGrath but you have to understand the fragility of Empire City's situation during that troubling time. However, that matter is long over with now that the quarantine is scheduled to be lifted very soon. Now, what I came all this way for is to give you an offer." The President said calmly.

"What kind of offer?" Cole asked.

"We have seen what you can do Cole. We are aware of your amazing powers and we want you to make a significant difference in this world by aiding your country." The President said.

"So you want a super soldier? You think I'm just some weapon!?" Cole exclaimed.

"No, it is much more than that. You can help us bring aid and support to areas in the world that are considered to be too dangerous for soldiers. Just imagine how many lives you can save globally instead of just in Empire City." The President persuaded.

"Not interested…My place is with the people of Empire City. As long as that quarantine is still up and the gangs are still thriving, I belong in Empire City helping them because I know no one else will." Cole said as he looked away from his own President.

"Why do you not understand how much of an important role you can be playing throughout the world Cole?" The President asked as he finally saw how much anger Cole was harboring toward the government.

"Because you fail to understand how much Empire City needed help while you and your buddies all sat in your air conditioned offices sipping champagne." Cole responded.

"…Then I guess there is nothing more to be said here." The President said quietly.

"I guess not." Cole said.

As the President let out a heavy sigh, Doctor Alexander left the room quietly. Shortly after he left, his assistants left to follow him.

"Doctor Alexander, where are you going?" One assistant asked.

"I'm off to make the necessary preparations." Doctor Alexander replied.

"We're sorry but, preparations for what Doctor?" Another assistant questioned.

"Project Prometheus…If Cole refuses to use his powers to help us…we'll just have to create someone more powerful who will." Doctor Alexander answered.

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Author's Note: I apologize for my delay of this chapter as well as the slow pace the story is moving at for now. I can assure you that every single character from inFAMOUS will make their appearance starting with the next chapter and beyond. Thank you for your reviews and criticism, they are deeply appreciated.


	4. Chapter IV : Friends in Odd Places

**Friends in Odd Places**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

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Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch.** All other characters belong to me.

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Author's Note: This story takes place on the same day as Chapter III making Chapter III & Chapter IV both Day 43.

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Nature is a truly wonderful thing that hardly anyone ever stops to take notice of. Some people go their entire lives without ever simply looking up at a beautiful full moon or play games to guess the shapes of the fluffy white clouds in the baby blue sky. For some, it takes the worst of times for them to stop and appreciate the beauty of nature itself.

Richard Branson seemed like the ordinary cutthroat businessman to everyone else but everything he earned was spent to financially support his adorable baby girl along with his amazing wife Linda. Although unlikely in this day and age, Richard was the "bread-winner" for his family but only due to unfortunate circumstances. In an act of love and hormones, Richard accidentally turned his girlfriend Linda into the only pregnant teenager in the small town of Union, Connecticut. Linda's parents were devastated and threw her out of her only home and when Richard's parents refused to be the town's main topic of gossip, both teens soon found themselves without a place to stay. Linda became a drop out while Richard had to work several minimum wage jobs just to keep their stomachs barely full. They both moved from homeless shelter to homeless shelter trying to figure out how they were going to raise this child once it was ready to be born.

Months later, Richard was accidentally tripped by the man who would eventually turn his life around. When the man asked Richard why he was in such a hurry, Richard explained as fast as he could his current position. The man, Sam Turner had been touched. Mr. Turner was the head of a large billion dollar corporation and offered Richard a job that would help get him out of his predicament. Richard's job would be in the always busy Empire City.

Richard quickly bought a home for Linda and the baby in Connecticut while he worked for countless hours back in the office at Empire City. The only time he left Empire City was when his daughter was born. He promised his wife he would make enough money to start his own company and then he would be with his family all the time. Shortly after Richard Branson became a dominating force in the business world, there was an explosion in Empire City. Everything he had worked for was gone and the realization that it might be months until he sees his family again drove him into a depression. Not even the heroic Cole MacGrath that everyone was talking about could rejuvenate his hopes.

The midnight breeze blew gently across his face as he noticed the moon's crescent appearance. After several minutes, he finally opened the door and entered the bar. Business was slow like everything else in Empire City but there always was a decent amount of people willing to drown their sorrows with a cold drink and Richard was no exception.

"Hey Rich, it's a nice night tonight huh?" The bar owner said cheerfully as he saw his old friend make his way to one of the stools.

"The moon looks beautiful…" Richard answered quietly as he took his seat and rested his face on his knuckles.

"So, what'll it be this time Rich?" The owner said with a smile as he placed an empty glass in front of him.

"How long Lou?" Richard asked gravely, ignoring the glass and the question.

"Today makes it day forty-three Rich…Come on, have a drink. The quarantine's going to be lifted any day now." Lou stated with an ample amount of hope in his voice.

"Did you hear about Electric-man?" Richard inquired as he began examining his glass.

"Yeah, I heard he was taken to some top secret government facility. They're probably doing all sorts of tests on him." Lou declared as he crossed his arms.

"I wonder what's going to happen now that Empire City doesn't have its hero." Richard asked as he finally put his glass down. "I'll take Jack Daniels on the rocks."

"I can only imagine…Here you go this one is on me. No free refills though." Lou said as he poured the drink in front of him.

"…I miss them so much Lou. I miss my family." Richard said as his head fell into his palms.

"I know Rich. But hey, that guy over there is having just as much of a hard time." Lou said after putting Richard's drink down. He then began pointing at the man sitting at the end of the bar.

"What's his story?" Richard asked before taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm not entirely sure but he was mumbling something about it being his fault that his buddies' girl is taking a dirt nap. He's been coming here every day for the past couple weeks. I heard he didn't even go to get the cure on the bridge because he's so miserable. Well, I guess he's lucky seeing how that whole thing got scrapped once Electric-man showed up." Lou said as he picked up a cloth and began cleaning an empty glass cup.

"Damn, I guess we all have our demons to face…What's his name?" Richard asked curiously.

"Zack…No wait, Zain, or maybe Zaid…Oh yeah, now I remember. His name's Zeke." Lou answered.

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The windowless grey walls, cold metal chair, long flat table, and one small light fixture that seemed to hang from the darkness became overwhelming after the fourth hour began to slowly creep past. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening pierced the emptiness of the dark room. Footsteps slowly made their way toward her chair but then began to circle around to the other end of the table.

"Ms. Amy Dailey, graduated valedictorian and went on to study medicine. Ms. Dailey excelled to the top of her class and immediately enlisted into the E.C. Relief project weeks after the blast." The voice read out loud.

A thick folder filled with all sorts of papers and Amy's picture paper clipped onto the cover dropped onto the table.

"So how is it that an intelligent, lovely young lady such as you ended up in this horrible place?" the voice asked.

"I don't know you tell me. I was in Empire City when a group of soldiers kidnapped me onto their helicopter and I fell asleep on the way here. I woke up and saw this giant building in the middle of nowhere and I have no idea what's going on." Amy answered with her arms crossed across her chest.

"Well let me inform you on your task Ms. Dailey." The voice declared.

"Listen, I just want to get out of here. I'm supposed to be helping the people in Empire City right now." Amy demanded.

"Don't worry about that, the entire project has been put on hold for you." The voice said calmly.

"For…me? Why?" Amy asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"You're such an important person to us that we didn't want your mind wandering elsewhere. Anyway, I'm going to try and keep this as short as possible. We need to know everything you know about Cole MacGrath." The voice stated.

"I knew that's all you wanted me for. Well I'm not telling you anything about Cole!" Amy shouted.

"Haven't you ever wondered what happened to your sister?" the voice asked maniacally.

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**J. Edgar Hoover Building****, ****Washington, D.C.**

He speed walked with a steady pace as he quickly passed by his colleagues with his papers in hand. The odd looks and soft whispers bounced off of him as if he were unstoppable in his quest to get the information from his head to someone else's ears. When he finally arrived at his destination, he let out a sigh of relief for making it that far before looking around him with paranoia. He finally opened the door to the patiently waiting woman who sat comfortably in her office chair.

"Oh my God, I feel like everyone is watching me. Are you sure about this?" the man asked as he began to close the blinds from the inside of the room to ensure no one will be watching.

"Yes I am and no one is going to come after you so calm down." The woman said as she sat in her chair that faced the wall.

"They could have my badge for this you know." He said while still holding onto the papers for dear life.

"I know that, now shut up and tell me what you found out." The woman demanded.

"Flight information confirms that the Air Force One took off three hours ago." The man stated as he began placing papers down one after another. "I couldn't get a confirmed destination but he did leave with a large amount of armed soldiers and considering the footage of Cole I found after the President's meeting, I would assume that his destination is where you'll find Cole."

"I can't thank you enough Peter. I really owe you for this one." The woman said as she turned her chair around and stood up in her neatly pressed suit.

"Don't worry about it Moya. You saved my skin plenty of times already. So what are you going to do?" Agent Peter Stanton asked.

"I have to break him out of there." Moya answered with firmness.

"Are you crazy!? I thought you just wanted to know where he was. I can't let you go through with this." Peter shouted.

"I have to Peter! You might not understand why but it's something I know I have to do." Moya replied as she started to take a look at the papers on her desk.

"Just tell me why at least. Why would you risk everything you've worked for to break that freak free?" Peter asked as he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him.

"Because I made a promise that he'd see freedom and I'm afraid of what plans the president has for him. I'm not asking you to come with me." Moya said as she quickly broke eye contact.

"You do the craziest things, you know that? First you volunteer to head down to Empire City because of the rumors that there's some super light bulb guy and then you actually confront him with only some glass separating you. Once your lie about that NSA agent gets brought into the light you still try to reason with that guy. I'll never understand you…but I can't let you go alone." Peter said after finally calming down to a more relaxed tone.

"…Thank you." Moya said quietly.

"So what's the first course of action?" Peter asked.

"Well seeing as how no one else is willing to risk their badges for this, we're going to have to get some back up." Moya declared.

"And where do you expect to find people willing to commit treason?" Peter asked as he crossed his arms.

"Empire City…" Moya said plainly.

"Wow, you really are insane." Peter stated with a smile.

"Fidelity, bravery, and integrity is our motto Peter. It's about time we followed it." Moya said.

END

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Author's Note II: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you patient readers because I know the last few chapters haven't been the most exciting but this is where it gets good. Prepare yourselves for the most action packed chapter so far. Moya and her unlikely team break Cole out and believe me, there will be hell to pay! I also have a surprise twist for everyone in the next chapter so I hope you will join me for Chapter V: Jailbreak.


	5. Chapter V : Reinforcements

**Reinforcements**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

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Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch.** All other characters belong to me.

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Author's Note: Alright, I know what you're all thinking. "Wait, this isn't **Jailbreak**?" Well, as I began to reach the end of **Jailbreak**, I realized that its length was almost more than triple the average length of my regular chapters so I decided to split **Jailbreak** into two separate chapters. I also wanted to give everyone something to keep them entertained with while I added the finishing touches for **Jailbreak** and I didn't want anyone thinking I stopped working on it. So here you are, enjoy!

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The slow descent of water droplets began to increase in velocity as the light drizzle quickly turned into heavy rain. He made his way down the seemingly endless sidewalk despite his drenched clothes, wet glasses that impaired his vision, and early signs of the flu. He's been caught in the rain many times before but this time was different. It didn't feel like just rain to him. For this poor soul, it felt like endless stones of guilt piercing his body and denting his heart.

The pain was too much to bear…They say that life is about learning from your mistakes but what do you do when your mistakes cost you everything you've ever known and loved?

A bolt of lightning struck the ground not far from where he was, soon after came the roar of the mighty thunder. The flash of light triggered his dreaded memories to remind him of how far he's fallen.

It took him back forty-four days, back to the tiny makeshift building that was being used as a medical center for those injured in the blast. He remembered lying to Trish about seeing Cole unintentionally destroy countless police cars and ambulances at Stampton Bridge before passing out. He could still hear the people calling his best friend a murderer as he desperately tried to run across the bridge with electricity shooting from his arms. He had paid more attention to his best friend than he did the people who were killed instantly by the barrage of lightning bolts coming from the sky. He was so confused, so helpless. His best friend was in a coma and there was nothing he could do but wait. Thankfully, Cole finally woke up. The joy barely had time to sink in when Cole's powers erupted once more right in front of Trish. To his surprise, she didn't care about Cole's "condition". It was then that he realized how much she loved him.

"…Zeke? Is that really you?" a voice asked, freeing Zeke from his painful memories.

Zeke removed his smudged glasses and examined the woman in front of him. After a brief moment Zeke finally recognized the woman but failed to crack a friendly smile. The short, beautiful, brown eyed brunette known as Dwight's Sister Roxanne caused only more pain to fill Zeke's heart as the memory of how he had failed to impress her came rushing back to him.

"How have you been?" She asked after noticing his grimly facial expression.

"I've been fine…I guess…" Zeke replied as he did anything in his power to avoid eye contact.

"Listen Zeke, I know this is awkward but I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about you and me. I can tell you took it a little hard after I said I wanted to be friends." She said, unintentionally forcing him to relive that horrible night on his rooftop.

"Please, it's every guy's dream to hear a girl say they just want to be friends. I took it like how any other guy would take it." Zeke responded as the pain sunk deeper. Wanting to desperately end the torture, he tried to walk past Roxanne but she grabbed his arm before saying, "That didn't mean you didn't have to ever call me again. We could have hung out or gone somewhere. Especially now since the quarantine is almost over."

"Yeah, sure…" Zeke said coldly as he took another attempt at walking away.

"Thank you Zeke…Thank you for finding Dwight for me. I was glad we at least gave him a peaceful funeral..." She said as Zeke continued walking down the sidewalk.

**Doctor Alexander's Laboratory**

Doctor Alexander's quick keystrokes and soft mumbling had been going on for almost two hours until the doors slid open for the stunning, voluptuous, Doctor Herrera. She slowly made her way toward the frantic man with a smooth and elegant stride that was known for turning heads.

"Honey, are you alright?" She said softly as she noticed his bizarre state.

"Oh, Candace, I didn't hear you come in." The man said as he finally lifted from his computer chair to kiss the woman of his dreams who had also recently became his fiancé.

"I heard about what happen with the Electric-Man and the President yesterday." She said softly, hoping her sincerity would ease his bruised ego.

"I wasn't surprised at his reaction. I told the president that he wouldn't comply but he thinks that electric freak is really going to help us. What a moron…That's why I have to get Project Prometheus off the ground. I have to show him that although a freak accident gave MacGrath his powers, science and ingenuity can give anyone else that same kind of power…maybe even more!" He declared as he returned to his chair and continued inputting random data that only he understood.

"But darling, I don't remember the President giving you permission to start this project." She stated as she placed her hand on his, forcing him to stop his data entry.

He shook her hand off and continued his work before saying, "I'm done waiting on other people to give me permission to do something that's for the good of the country."

"Ryan, look at me." She said as she put her hands on his shoulders.

He stared only at his computer screen as his fingers continued their lightning fast dance across his keyboard. She then spun his chair around and used every ounce of feminine strength in her body to pull him off of his chair by his collar to look him straight in the eyes. After a deep breath she said softly, "Honey, I'm pregnant."

The M.A, B.S, PhD, professor who graduated from Harvard was now at a loss for words. He mustered up as much intellect as he could to form complete sentences. "What, how, when, are you sure? Oh my God. I'm going to be a father?"

"I'm pregnant, you should know how, I just found out last week, and yes I am absolutely positive. That's why I wasn't here when you brought Electric-Man in if you didn't notice. I wanted to make sure before I told you." She stated as she began to slightly chuckle at her fiancé's astounded facial expression. For once he had no words, only expression. He grabbed her waist and spun her around as he embraced the woman he loved like he had never done before.

"Be careful Ryan, I'm carrying a fragile package in here you know." She said jokingly as he gently placed her back down.

"Why are you telling me this now though?" He asked curiously.

"I don't want you to go through with this Prometheus Project...If the president finds out you could be fired, or sent to jail and right now is when I need you the most. No, now is when I and your child need you the most." She said as she put her hands on her love's cheeks.

"You're right…I guess Project Prometheus will be…postponed." He said with a heavy heart.

"Thank you so much honey. I love you." She said with the same beautiful smile that made him fall in love with her.

"I'll do anything for you and our baby." He professed as he went over to the computer and turned it off.

**Unknown Government Location**

She was slumped over on the table, tired beyond all belief. Most of the lower half of her body was numb after being in the same chair for almost twenty-four hours straight. The only light bulb hovered above her and failed to illuminate the rest of room. No windows, no light, no hope. The sounds of the door opening and closing did not dare disturb her much needed rest. Unfortunately, a persistent and now recognizable voice attempted to force her out of her precious sleep.

"Ms. Dailey…Ms. Dailey! Rise and shine…" the voice called out from the shadows.

"Why am I still here? You got your answers now let me go." Amy replied as she began to wipe her weary eyes.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. You see if we let you go, what's to stop you from looking for your dear friend Cole?" the hidden voice asked.

"I don't want anything to do with Cole anymore. After all, he watched my sister die and did nothing to help her." Amy declared as she began to clench her fists. "Why in God's name should I care what happens to him?"

"Very true, yet you could be playing us into thinking that you hate him." The man speculated.

"My sister is dead because of him!" she yelled as she leaped out of her chair and proceeded to charge toward where she assumed the man was standing. Before she could, two men who she didn't even know were there grabbed her by the arms.

The sounds of the door opening ended Amy's struggle with the guards as she tried to imagine who this "new visitor" could be. To her surprise, the lights turned on and finally showed her what for so long she knew to be just shadows and voices.

Two individuals entered the room with the same stone cold expressions on their faces. The man was a white male holding a thick manila folder and dressed in the usual suits you see all the secret government organizations wearing on television.

"It can't be…agent Fitzgerald? You're interrupting a very important investigation." the interrogator exclaimed, now giving Amy a face to match with his voice.

"This is over. I have official orders from the White House stating that I take Amy Dailey into custody so that the President himself can question her." Agent Fitzgerald declared as he dropped the folder onto the table.

"You've got to be kidding me!" The man replied as he grabbed the folder and began flipping through the pages in disbelief.

"We don't joke around in the F.B.I. If you have a problem I can call the President right now so you can tell him how you refuse to comply with his request." Agent Fitzgerald responded.

"…Fine. Looks like you're out of here Ms. Dailey." The man said as he began to grit his teeth.

Amy was eager to leave the dreadful room but still worried about where she was going to be taken next. The man referred to as "Agent Fitzgerald" politely offered his arm to escort her out of the room but she refused. After the countless hours in a government interrogation room, anyone with a suit and a smile could not be trusted in her mind.

They made their way through the hallway that seemed to stretch on for miles. Amy refused to say a word, saving her story for when the man asked her the two thousand questions she just finished answering from the other man. However, this man didn't ask her a thing. He was calm and collected for the time being and seemed to be actually…nice. He gave a nod to the guard by the door who watched them both walk away to the helipad.

She followed Agent Fitzgerald to the large black helicopter that had been much larger than the one she was on when she was taken from Empire City. The man waited for her to step inside first, being ever so polite. Once they were both safely inside the helicopter and it started to lift off of the ground, it was as if the calm persona shattered to reveal a panicked paranoid child.

"Oh my God that was so close. I can't believe I did that. Ms. Dailey you are so lucky I didn't just crack right there!" Agent Fitzgerald shouted as his heart raced like no she'd ever seen before.

"Don't mind him Miss. He's always like that." The pilot stated with a young feminine voice.

"Wait, what's going on?" Amy asked as the thoughts of being kidnapped yet again only made her begin to panic.

"Don't worry Amy Dailey. Everything will be answered on the way back to Empire City." The pilot stated.

"Just who are you guys?" Amy questioned.

"You can call that frantic mess Peter Fitzgerald, and I'm Moya Jones. We have a plan that you might be interested in." Agent Jones replied.

**Neon District, Empire City**

He finally made it to the top of his roof after climbing what seemed to be an endless staircase that somehow got steeper after every step upward. He opened the door and did nothing as the wave of memories flooded his mind before he could even blink. The rooftop served as the perfect place to kick back and relax after a hard day's work or when things weren't going as well with significant others.

He sluggishly dropped himself on the soft red sofa and wondered to himself how he could have betrayed the one friend who always stuck with him through everything. How could he have looked him in the eye and was willingly about to kill thousands of lives all for the powers his friend possessed?

Thankfully, the Ray Sphere didn't activate but that didn't make a difference after he left his friend behind and left with the man who pretended to offer him a solution to his lust for power. He saw his friend hold the love of his life in his arms for the last time as her life slowly came to an end. He knew it wasn't the right time to apologize. He visited her grave frequently but made sure to avoid his friend out of fear. Fear of the consequences for his betrayal, fear that his friend would give no regard to his heroic image and send a lightning bolt straight through his heart. He decided to apologize to him via radio but there was no response. In the end, he tried to prove his regret by interfering in the final showdown but he was easily shoved aside by the immensely powerful Kessler. By the time he was back on his feet, the fight was over. He simply watched in confusion as Kessler grabbed his friend's head and then simply let go. He didn't have the nerve to ask his friend what had happened because of yet another failed attempt at being a hero but he could feel something change in his friend. The fear still lingered in him and forced him to remain silent as he watched his friend walk away from the place where he first got his powers.

Zeke took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

_If I could take it back Cole I would…I would give anything to undo it all…make things right between us. I just…_

The sound of the door opening caused Zeke to quickly jump up off the couch with hope, the hope that Cole had finally returned but unfortunately his guests were two unfamiliar individuals and one surprising face.

"Amy, is that really you!?" Zeke shouted in absolute shock.

"Yes Zeke, it's me." Amy said as she walked past the two agents.

"Oh my God! I can't believe it! You're really alive, this is great! I thought-" Zeke shouted in hysteria.

"-I know Zeke, it's a long story. There are more important things I have to talk about though." Amy replied as she tried to calm him down.

"Who are they?" Zeke asked once he regained his composure.

"I'll explain that later, right now there's something I need to know Zeke. What really happened to my sister?" Amy said softly, her words barely reaching Zeke's ears.

Zeke's heart dropped into his stomach as the joy he had just started to embrace quickly changed back to the guilt that has been weighing him down for weeks. She sat him back down on the couch after noticing his hesitation to respond. He sat there like a vegetable, staring at the ground as if it was about to open up and swallow him hole but he wasn't that lucky. Amy noticed the sweat beading above his eye brows and remembered how Zeke was never very good under pressure.

"Can you guys give us a minute? It won't be too long I promise." Amy said as she turned back to the intimidating government agents.

"Alright but make it quick. We have a small window of opportunity here and it would be wise if we took advantage of it." Agent Jones stated as Agent Fitzgerald opened the door for her. The door slowly closed behind them and Amy quickly turned her attention to Zeke who kept his gaze locked on the ground.

"Zeke just tell me, please." Amy begged as she placed her hand on his knee.

Zeke continued staring down but soon let out a deep sigh before explaining, "Cole was chasing this man into the Historic District when he saw a bunch of people tied up next to a bomb. The man told him there were three bombs scattered around the Historic District and that more people were also tied up. Cole later found out that if he failed, the man was going to kill Trish. Cole let nothing slow him down and he managed to drain every bomb before they blew, but the entire thing was meant to distract him." Zeke stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof to view the beautiful view as the worst part of the story drew near. "The man tied up and suspended six doctors from the roof of a building while down the block there was only one person suspended from the roof."

"…Trish…" Amy silently interjected.

"Exactly…The man forced Cole to choose between the six innocent doctors or the woman he loved. Cole saved the doctors and was forced to watch Trish fall. Her grave is in the Historic District Memorial Park now. Amy, I'm so sorry." Zeke said as he turned back to Amy.

"It's alright Zeke. Cole did what was best for Empire City and that's what mattered…I know Trish is very proud of him and so am I…Thank you for telling me Zeke. By the way, what ever happened to the man?" Amy asked.

"They fought exactly where Cole was supposed to have died from the explosion and in the end, Cole killed him." Zeke stated.

"What was his name?" Amy questioned.

"His name was Kessler." Zeke said as he looked away for a brief moment.

_That bastard…_

Amy's stomach turned as she remembered Cole telling her on the exact same rooftop that Kessler was in fact Cole from the future. It finally began to make sense to her. When Cole told her Kessler wanted to test him to ensure that he would be ready to face his destiny, he meant by forcing Cole to make decisions based on the common good instead of personal desires.

"Amy, are you alright?" Zeke asked after noticing her sudden silence.

"I'm…fine. Listen, the reason I came here is because I need your help." Amy began to explain.

"…My help? What do you need my help for?" Zeke asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Those other two people I was with are going to help me find and free Cole. We could use all the man power we can get." Amy stated.

"I don't know Amy, Cole might not be too excited to see me." Zeke said gravely.

The squeak of the door interrupted the conversation as the two agents casually made their way closer to the pair.

"We have to go now. We found what we were looking for and we need to act fast. Are you going to join us or not Zeke Jedediah Dunbar?" Agent Jones said.

_What the…Cole was the only person who ever knew my full name…Who is this woman?_

"Zeke, we have to do this for Cole and for Trish. She gave her life knowing that Cole would always do what's best for Empire City and right now he's probably on the operating table waiting for us. Whatever crap you two went through will be put aside, please just help us." Amy said boldly.

"…I'm in…what are your names again?" Zeke said curiously.

"We'll do introductions later, let's go!" Agent Jones declared.

**The Warren, Empire City**

Agent Fitzgerald slowly drove past the place the locals named "Tent City" which was also known by many to be the home of the infamous Dustmen gang. Unfortunately for the two agents, their task was going to be harder then they thought as they didn't spot any Dustmen in the area.

"I've got to hand it to Cole; he really cleaned up places even as messed up as the Warren." Agent Fitzgerald noted.

"What do we do now? Leave a note on the door saying to give us a call?" Zeke sarcastically commented.

"We have to strike today, for all we know Cole could be dead tomorrow." Agent Jones said plainly.

They continued to drive around what used to be known as the "Slums of the Warren" until Cole began cracking down even harder on the criminals. As their luck would have it, they came across exactly what they were looking for near the famous Chummy Chicken by the northeastern docks.

Agent Fitzgerald parked the car near the Chummy Chicken and turned back to Zeke and Amy before saying, "We'll be right back."

Moya and Peter casually made their way down the sidewalk as if it were just another day in Empire City until they quickly turned the corner behind an abandoned building.

Their unsuspecting target stood only a few feet away staring off into the sea. His machine gun was still held firmly in his hand so the pair approached with caution. They silently removed their guns from their holsters and crept up behind him. Peter looked at Moya and began to slowly count down from three with his fingers but before he could reach two, Moya kicked the back of the Dustman's knee causing him to drop to his knees before she pinned him down with all of her weight.

She steadily held her gun to his head before exclaiming, "Agent Jones of the F.B.I! Drop your weapon now!"

The Dustman silently complied and released his grip on his gun while Agent Fitzgerald kicked the gun out of the criminal's reach.

"Alright listen up, I'm not going to arrest you or kill you. We need your help with something." Agent Jones stated.

"Well too bad, I'd never help a pig!" The Dustman shouted.

Moya pressed the end of her gun closer to the Dustman's head and said, "Well you really don't have a choice now do you? Tell me where Alden is." Agent Jones demanded.

"Alden died thanks to your so called hero." The Dustman replied.

"So you're just going to lie to me now? Well I guess I should just blow your brains out and find another Dustman to ask. Besides, I want to talk to him about a business proposition that would definitely be in your benefit." Agent Jones declared.

"Look, I already told you Alden is dead." The Dustman responded.

"And what if I told you that we have satellite photos of Alden surviving his swim after he fell of the bridge? Don't play games with me." Agent Jones said.

"…Alright. I'll take you to him." The Dustman said quietly.

"That's more like it." Moya said as she helped the Dustman get up off of the ground.

She gestured with her gun to walk on ahead as Agent Fitzgerald slowly approached her with the Dustman machine gun in hand.

"We don't have satellite photos of Alden." Peter whispered.

"I know that, but he doesn't." Moya replied.

"But how did you know Alden really was alive?" Peter asked.

"This guy can lift busses just by flicking his fingers in the air; I don't think falling of a bridge would really affect him." Moya responded

The Dustman took the two agents to the nearby abandoned building and opened the back door that appeared to be boarded shut. The agents stood by the doorway as the boarded windows allowed the darkness of the building to conceal its inner contents. Suddenly, the lights turned on and the Dustman who seemed to have been consumed by the darkness stood by the hidden light switch. The inside was as filthy and empty as anyone would assume from glancing at the outside. The only thing in the room was a pair of staircases on both sides that connected to a balcony which lead to another boarded up door.

After a quick glance around the inside of the empty building, Moya stated, "There's nothing here. I swear, if you're playing games with me I'll-"

"-Follow me." The Dustman replied as he began to walk beneath the balcony. He examined the wall and found the fake panel that when pushed, reveals a hidden elevator behind the wall where a broken bookcase lay.

"I'm not sure about this Moya." Peter whispered.

"We have no choice, now let's go." Moya replied.

The elevator could fit a dozen hefty Dustmen so the three passengers had more than enough room to stand comfortably.

"Who would've thought that the Dustmen could actually be this well organized." Agent Jones commented as the elevator doors began to close.

"We've had these elevators built for emergencies in case we needed to escape or meet up somewhere." The Dustman stated.

"You mean there are more?" Agent Fitzgerald asked.

"We have abandoned buildings like these all over the Warren District." The Dustman replied.

"Where is it taking us?" Agent Jones asked firmly.

"It's going to take us to our underground hideout that we now use to avoid that electric friend of yours. All the elevators lead to tunnels that take everyone to the same place. That place is where Alden is." The Dustman stated.

"Good…" Agent Jones said quietly.

The elevator finally came to a stop and the doors slid open. The tunnel looked like a mining tunnel with the lights placed along the walls with wires that ran straight toward their destination. They continued walking until they reached what looked like a pile of rocks that blocked their way.

"A dead end…You've got to be kidding me." Agent Jones said in frustration.

"You pigs really aren't all that smart are you?" The Dustman said as he pulled what looked like a smaller rock in between the larger rocks. The smaller rock acted as a door knob which when pulled, pulled the entire wall of rocks to the side.

"Now I've seen everything." Agent Fitzgerald said jokingly.

"Come on, this way." The Dustman said as he continued to lead the two.

They progressed further until they finally reached their destination. In front of them was a wall with a single light above a terribly painted red door. The Dustman opened the door and the two agents behind held their hands close to their holsters in case things were going to get nasty.

They stepped in and saw dozens of Dustmen in what would appear to be a cozy penthouse suite without the view. There were enormous televisions, amazing sound systems, a bar with hundreds of drinks, several refrigerators, and Moya would've put her entire life on it that none of it was paid for. The moment the agents entered the threshold, every Dustman grabbed the nearest weapon they could find and aimed it at both the agents and the treacherous Dustman who brought them.

"Wait! They just want to talk to Alden about a proposition!" The Dustman shouted as he threw his hands in the air.

Silence filled the room as the rest of the Dustmen looked around, unable to read each other's facial expressions because of their cheap masks.

"We know how to make you all very rich and even get you out of Empire City with no problem from the police if we just talk to Alden." Agent Jones said bravely.

"Very well then…The three of you, follow me." One of the Dustmen said as he signaled for the rest of the Dustmen to lower their weapons.

They were lead deeper into the lavished room until they came upon a single titanium bolted door with no handle stood. The lead Dustman called out, "Alden, sir, a fellow Dustman has brought two pigs with him to propose a deal."

The large door opened and as they continued to walk inside, the large door shut it self behind them. The trio now found themselves trapped and in the presence of the immensely powerful Alden.

Alden sat in a black leather chair behind a large wooden desk with his knuckles pressed to his face. Other than Alden, the chair, and the desk, the room appeared completely empty.

"A deal is it?" Alden asked as he gave a full scan of the people brought to him.

"Yes, we've come to talk to you about a deal." Agent Jones stated as she stepped forward, looking Alden straight in the eye.

"And what makes you think I need anything? Look around, I'm sure you've noticed how comfortably my Dustmen are living. What could you possibly offer?" Alden asked as he gave Agent Jones his grizzled stare.

"I doubt any of that was paid for, and if you cooperate, we could make sure you will have enough money to actually own everything down here." Agent Moya said as he persisted on selling her lie.

Alden slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "I already own everything down here! It's all mine! I was cast out into the streets as a child and watched as the people would go about their merry ways not giving a damn about anyone less fortunate then themselves. That's what makes stealing from them so enjoyable. To watch as their precious possessions get taken away is what helps me deal with my own pain, the pain that Kessler caused me when I was so young!"

"Then how about freedom? What if we promise you a way out of this quarantine undetected. You can walk away from all of this as a freeman." Agent Fitzgerald offered as he stepped next to his partner.

"How about I just kill the three of you for wasting my time with such farfetched schemes?" Alden asked maliciously as he used his telekinetic abilities to lift the hidden panels on the walls, revealing two unmanned machine gun turrets.

"Wait, sir, please!" The Dustman begged as the barrels on the turrets began to turn.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Alden." Agent Jones said plainly with a grin on her face.

"And why is that?" Alden asked.

"The government doesn't know where we are but if we push a little button on our cufflink, it'll activate a homing beacon that'll lead the entire United States Armed Forces down here. Even if you somehow manage to get away, I don't think your Dustmen will which leaves you with no one to command." Agent Jones stated with a smile.

"…And what is it you require from me?" Alden asked after realizing he had just lost the battle.

"We need your help breaking into a top secret government facility to break someone out." Agent Fitzgerald declared.

"Sounds interesting, but who am I going to help you free?" Alden questioned.

"We're going to free Cole MacGrath, also known as Electric Man." Agent Jones said.

"Absolutely not, that little worm tried to steal my Ray Sphere and helped Kessler get his hands on it. It's his fault we're down here in the first place. He's put nearly all of my men behind bars! Why would I ever want to help break him free?" Alden said with unquestionable rage in his voice.

"What if we don't help Cole and the government starts turning anyone they want into super electric soldiers? How are you going to like it if some pumped up pigs come down here to take you all out?" Agent Jones stated.

"That couldn't be possible…" Alden said in disbelief.

"Who knows? No one has ever seen anyone like Cole before but I know without a doubt that the government will definitely be willing to try anything they can." Agent Fitzgerald added.

"You might have a point." Alden said.

"So then you'll help us?" Agent Jones asked.

"Agreed…on the conditions that once we break that fool free, he's not to give my Dustmen any problems and that you can find a way to get us all safely out of this quarantine." Alden demanded.

"Done and done. Meet us on the roof of the old Coleridge College in about an hour." Agent Jones declared.

Alden flicked his wrist and gestured toward the opening titanium door. The two agents began to exit with the Dustman behind them until Alden called out for the Dustman to stay.

As the pair of agents waited by the door to see what was about to happen, the Dustman who lead them there appeared and said, "Come, this way." The door shut and the sounds of turret barrels spinning was quickly followed by bullets piercing flesh. The horrible screams of a man barely reached outside the tightly sealed door but still managed to reach the three listeners as the left.

"There was no way he was going to get away with bringing you two down here." The Dustman said coldly.

**Coleridge College, Empire City**

Agent Jones forcefully pushed the rusted resilient door open and looked around with her gun in hand to make sure the roof was secure. Once everything looked clear, the group stepped out and looked around at the amazing view of the Warren District.

"Well we made it to the roof, now what?" Amy asked as she began to look around curiously.

"We wait for the last member of our little group to join us." Agent Jones stated.

"Where's that other agent guy?" Zeke asked.

"Peter will be with us shortly. I need him to go fetch me something." Agent Jones replied.

"And here I am." Alden said as he stepped out of his makeshift elevator that was made with random scraps of metal and propelled by Alden's own telekinesis.

"Your bringing Alden with us! You can't be serious!" Zeke shouted furiously. Suddenly, Zeke's memories of that horrible scene at the prison flashed in his head.

_All those slaughtered police officers…it was because of me…Cole wanted to, and he should've ended me right there…_

"I remember you. You're the kind fellow who made it so easy for me to break out of Eagle Point Penitentiary. I do believe I owe you a thank you." Alden said maniacally.

Zeke reached for his pistol but before he could draw it, Amy grabbed him around his torso and held his arms to his sides as she said, "Calm down Zeke, don't worry its alright. If Moya and Peter brought him here, it's for a good reason."

"Wait a minute, 'Moya'? You're the woman that lied to Cole and sent him after the Ray Sphere! You lied about everything, John told us!" Zeke shouted as he suddenly realized he was almost completely surrounded by old enemies.

"Settle down Zeke, it's not what you think." Agent Jones said calmly.

"Not what I think? You played Cole like a sap and then bring one of Cole's most powerful enemies on this so called rescue mission? I don't believe this!" Zeke exclaimed.

"Listen Zeke, yes I lied, yes I tricked him to go after the Ray Sphere, but I also promised Cole I would help him and now I'm afraid he's in trouble. We're the only ones who can get him out, don't you see that?" Agent Jones said with an odd sense of sincerity.

"I'm with Moya." Amy stated.

"Amy, you don't know these people, they could be lying to you to." Zeke claimed.

"I don't care, I want to help Cole and I'll do everything I can to make sure he's alright." Amy declared.

"The only way we can do that is if we do it together. That means you too Zeke." Agent Jones said.

"Fine…Where is this government place at anyway?" Zeke asked as he began to grit his teeth.

"It's in the middle of the Atlantic ocean." Agent Jones replied.

"And how the hell do you propose we get there? I don't have a spare boat on my rooftop." Zeke said sarcastically, the sting of his enemies' presence still burning in his mind.

Suddenly, the sounds of spinning helicopter blades began to make their way across the sky as they got closer to the group's position. The large black helicopter hovered nearby with Agent Fitzgerald as its pilot.

"Tuck in your skirts ladies, its time to go." Agent Jones said.

END


	6. Chapter VI : Jailbreak

**Jailbreak**

An inFamous Story

By The Enigmatic Man

Rating: (T)

* * *

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are from the video game inFamous and therefore they are all owned by **Sucker Punch.** All other characters belong to me.

Author's Note: Finally completed! I apologize for its ridiculously long delay and I don't want to keep you up with this Note so without anymore delay, here it is!

* * *

Cole lay face down on the foggy ground trapped once again in the ethereal realm where the echoing voice of his future self still continues to threaten his sanity.

_So, this is how you're going to let it end huh?_

"Kessler…" Cole grunted as he slowly placed his hands on the ice cold ground. The lack of electricity left him weaker then he had ever felt before, even crippling his mental state.

_Expecting Santa Claus? Sorry to disappoint..._

"What do you want now? Haven't you already done enough?" Cole replied as he expended nearly all of his strength to lift his upper body off the ground.

_You mean giving you an early start at mastering our powers so you won't have to endure the pain of losing everyone you've ever loved to an unstoppable enemy? Oh I do hope you can forgive me._

"You killed her! You took her away from me! I have nothing else left to lose." Cole exclaimed as his anger gave him the temporary strength to stand on his on his feet.

_And you let her die in vein! She was meant to be inspiration, not a distraction. With your powers-_

"-I don't care about the powers anymore, look what it's caused. I'm trapped in some lab losing my mind thanks to you and your gift." Cole shouted into the vast abyss of darkness.

_You don't have a choice, I never had a choice. Trish never had a choice, Stephanie and Jenna never had a choice._

"…Stephanie and Jenna…?" Cole asked in confusion.

_Your daughters Cole…They were so young…That monstrosity attacked the apartment we were staying in at the time. He forced them to watch him kill their mother before destroying the entire building with them in it._

"…T-That still doesn't change anything! You chose for them, you chose to run away like a coward instead of facing that Beast once and for all!" Cole shouted trying to shake off the thought of his would've-been children.

_Because I feared for my family's safety! Our family!_

"And now you've lost them **and** you took Trish away from me! All you've done is put your mistakes on my conscious and robbed me of what you failed to protect. If it was me, I never would've let that happen. I would've fought to the last breath for my family!" Cole exclaimed with his fists clenched.

…_You're welcome Cole…_

* * *

Amy stared down at the ocean in an awkward trance as the helicopter made its way to the facility that most don't even know exists.

"Amy, are you alright?" Zeke asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking about everything that's happened, the explosion, Cole, Trish, even the part I played in all of it. It's like one big nightmare that I can't wake up from…What happens once we rescue Cole? Where do we go, what do we do?" Amy says with immense worry in her voice.

"We go home and rebuild our lives one brick at a time…" Zeke replied.

His response was anything but comforting she thought as she returned her gaze to the open water below.

"Alright pumpkins get ready, we're approaching the island." Agent Jones announced in a surprisingly calm tone.

"So what do you plan we do? Ring the doorbell and hope they're home?" Zeke asked with obvious hints of skepticism.

"Unfortunately, they don't expect us to get that far. According to the blueprints for the entire island, they have six main unmanned machine gun turrets at the top of the building facing all three sides and about seven hidden automatic missile launchers under the ground surrounding the building. Thankfully we only have to deal with a third of them." Agent Jones explained.

"Why's that?" Amy asked.

"Because if you notice, the building is in the shape of a T-" Agent Jones answered.

"-I say it looks more like the T-shaped Tetris block." Agent Fitzgerald added.

"Brilliant deduction Sherlock…Anyway, the building takes up most of the island's mass because they expect us to land directly on the top of the building where every turret will have a clear shot. However, we're going to land right on their front door so the only thing we have to worry about is the two machinegun turrets on the roof for that side, and the two missile launchers under the grass since the other turrets won't have a clear shot." Agent Jones continued.

"Sounds good but I don't really see any bazookas or anything on board. How do we take them out before they take us out?" Zeke questioned after taking a quick look around the empty helicopter.

"That's where Alden comes in. He'll handle the turrets and hold down the main lobby to keep the helicopter safe because if anything happens to that, we're stuck. While he's doing that, all of us are going to make our way down to level seven where we believe Cole is somewhere. We're probably going to be taking heavy fire so everyone needs a weapon which I'm sure the kind guards will have no problem doing once we 'persuade' them." Agent Jones stated.

"Wait, you want to run that by me one more time?" Zeke questioned as he removed his glasses and cleaned his ear with his finger.

"Sorry, but we're already here. You've already crossed the point of no return." Agent Fitzgerald declared as he looked back at Zeke to give him a grin that did anything but reassure him.

**Government Facility – Control Room**

The sounds of numerous radars, keystrokes and dim glow of security camera monitors filled the Control room as its numerous personnel continued their usual routine.

A young man returned to his seat with his usual cup of coffee in hand. He gently placed it down as he noticed the large illuminated letters on his screen that read "Alert!"

"Uh, sir, I think you should take a look at this." The young man said as he called over his superior officer.

"What is it Thompson?" The officer asked as he approached the man's surveillance panel.

"There seems to be an unscheduled aircraft approaching the island sir. Satellite photos just confirmed that the aircraft is a government helicopter." The young man responded as he handed the officer the satellite image seconds after it was sent to his panel.

"It's government alright…but we're not expecting anymore visitors. Have you tried to communicate with them?" The officer suggested as he examined the image.

The young man's skinny fingers soon went to work entering different keystrokes trying to lock on to the helicopter's frequency. Once acquired, he called out, "Government Aircraft, you are not scheduled to land on this island. State your business here immediately!" After a near minute with no response, the young man looked to his superior and said, "They're not responding sir. What should we do?"

"The president is on this island son; for all we know it could be a terrorist attack. Blast her right out the sky." The officer declared.

"You got it sir! Red Alert! We've got a bogie coming in hot, I want all turrets online and ready to fire!" the young man exclaimed to his fellow men.

* * *

"Look, over there. It's Air Force One; I guess the President is still here." Agent Fitzgerald stated as their helicopter continued to close the distance between their position and their target.

"Well that's just great. Now they're going to think we're here to kill the President or something!" Amy exclaimed as she buried her head in her hands.

"No time to back out now, this is it! Let's go!" Agent Jones replied.

The sounds of gears turning from under the artificial grass adjacent to the concrete walkway leading to the building was muffled by the sheer altitude of the helicopter paired with the whirling blades keeping the metal structure above ground. Without warning, the rectangular structures emerged from the ground and quickly fired off four deadly missiles designed to take down any enemy aircraft with ease.

"Our lives are in your hands Alden! Show us what you got!" Agent Jones' shouted.

Alden slowly rose from his seat, clutching firmly to his cane and opened the helicopter's side door as the missiles rapidly made their way closer toward their target. Alden closed his eyes and inhaled deeply while raising his arms out forward. Just before the missiles could make contact, Agent Fitzgerald quickly turned the helicopter to the left giving Alden the perfect positioning in front of the projectiles. Alden's eyes quickly opened and with an immense amount of concentration, he halted the missiles in midair. He then turned the missiles around as that floated near the helicopter and shot the missiles back to their launchers with seemingly no effort.

Agent Fitzgerald struggled to keep the helicopter balanced after its sudden change in direction.

"Not bad old man. I see you still got some skills." Zeke said with a smile and thumbs up.

Alden's plain facial expression conveyed his lack of interest in Zeke's humor as he returned to his seat.

* * *

"Status…Status? Tell me something son." The elder officer said as approached the younger officer's panel once more.

The young man's face was frozen in disbelief. He finally closed his hanging jaw and said, "The…the missiles came back. They destroyed the launchers."

"That's impossible! I want men topside on the double! We have to take down that helicopter now!" The superior officer shouted.

* * *

"We're not out of the wood yet folks. There are still the turrets to worry about. Once you take care of them, I'll set her down nice and easy." Agent Fitzgerald said as he struggled to keep his tone calm with the helicopter slowly regaining its equilibrium.

Alden looked over to the fearsome double barreled turrets as a sinister grin crept onto his wrinkled face before using his telekinesis to tear the turrets off of the roof.

"Done…" Alden said plainly as if the task could've been done by an infant.

"Uh, alright I'm bringing her in. We've got less than six minutes before they call in the Army, Navy, Marines, Co-"

"-We get it Peter. Let's move!" Agent Jones exclaimed as she unfastened her restraints.

The helicopter dropped to the ground in any matter but gracefully. The group quickly exited the helicopter as Alden slowly made his way off with his cane in hand and mentally holding two enormous turrets above his head. The two agents drew their pistols and shot the glass doors, not wasting anytime. The alarm was initiated much to their expectance but was easily drowned out with the sounds of heavily armed soldiers running toward the main entrance.

As soon as they entered the facility, dozens of troops charged down the corridor with guns at the ready. The pair of highly trained agents quickly grabbed Amy and Zeke before rolling out of the soldier's line of fire. Alden saw the soldiers in the narrow corridor and stretched his hand out toward them. Before the soldiers could eliminate the elderly terrorist, they watched in horror as their own turret lowered itself in front of him and opened fire. Amy covered her ears as the sounds of guns, screaming, and death echoed through the halls.

Alden looked over to Agent Jones and nodded his head before turning his back toward the facility to stand guard with his floating weapons at the ready.

"Not even a minute in and we almost got blown away!" Zeke shouted with his hands covering his head.

Agent Jones looked down at the frightened man and shouted, "You want to stay here and complain or do you want to grab a gun and find Cole?!"

Everyone but Amy, who nearly vomited at the horrific sight of what used to be whole human beings, picked up one of the soldier's high caliber guns and made their way down the hallway toward the stairs. Although Amy refused to fire a gun, Agent Jones made sure she carry a small black bag on her shoulder that she said would be needed later on.

"What? No elevator?" Agent Fitzgerald commented sarcastically.

"Shut it." Agent Jones replied as the group approached the stairs door.

"Just trying to lighten the mood, jeez." Agent Fitzgerald opened the door and held it open as he said, "Ladies first?"

Agent Jones made a notable facial expression that meant he was going to end up regretting his comment in the not too distant future.

* * *

The sound of the explosions accompanied by gunfire caused the President to spill his vodka he had poured seconds ago. Soon after, the United States Secret Service charged through the door and grabbed the startled President before he could even react.

"What's going on?" The president asked as he was pulled by his protective guards down another hallway.

"Sorry Mr. President, this is a code red situation that calls for immediate evacuation. For your safety we need you to come with us to the emergency escape exit where we will escort you to Air Force One." The Secret Service replied as he and the other agents lead the president to a door with a password lock near its handle.

"But wait what about Cole and the other Scientists? We can't let the intruders get their hands on our research!" The President argued as the door opened and he was rushed down the secret hallway.

"You're our priority right now Mr. President, now hurry. This is the safest way out back to Air Force One." Another Agent responded.

* * *

The beautiful young scientist rushed into her soon to be husband's room in a frantic state. She searched the room and found her fiance still overlooking his data for Project Prometheus. "Ryan, thank God I found you! We have to get out of here!"

"Candace, what's going on? I heard an explosion then the alarms started blaring." Dr. Alexander asked as he embraced his fiance in his arms.

"Some people infiltrated the facility and are coming after the President. They have the central entrance blocked off so we have to leave before they take over the entire building." Candace explained as she eagerly tried to pull her lover by his arms out of his room.

"They're not here for the President, they're here for Cole. I should've known Cole formed some kind of rebel group in Empire City but I never would've thought they would find him here." Dr. Alexander replied as he pulled his arms back, breaking Candace's hold on him. He cupped his fiance's delicate cheek in his hand and said, "I have to stay here and back up our research or all of our work would have been for nothing."

"I won't go anywhere if you're not with me!" His soon to be wife shouted as she grabbed him by the collar of his white coat.

"This is everything we've worked for Candace and I refuse to let it be destroyed! I promise you I'll meet up with you outside of the west entrance." Dr. Alexander assured her as he gave his love a short kiss to seal his promise.

"Ryan, I-"

"-This isn't a discussion now go!"

She couldn't argue with him when he truly set his mind on something and considering the circumstances, she figured it be better if she let him finish so they could make their escape.

* * *

Agent Jones noticed the sounds of elevator doors opening not too far behind the group when she spotted a scientist frantically making his way down the hallway.

"Everyone stay here! I'll find out where Cole is." Agent Jones declared as she followed the direction of the panicked scientist.

"Make it fast Moya!" Agent Fitzgerald shouted as he turned back to his poor excuse of a "team" that was comprised of a heavy set man with no combat experience and a girl trembling at the sight of corpses. "Damn…alright I've got an idea. Amy, you go in this room here and wait. I'll crouch here in the doorway and watch for anyone in this direction while Zeke does the same in the other direction."

"You mean camping out like in Call of Duty or something?" Zeke said as he bent down to crouch at the doorway across from Agent Fitzgerald and Amy.

"Oh God…Yeah like that except there isn't any re-spawns in real life." Agent Fitzgerald said as he rolled his eyes.

Agent Moya ran down the hallway and closed in on the scientist who was fully aware that he was in a pursuit. Once close enough, Agent Jones tackled the fleeing scientist just before he could turn the corner.

"You're a fast one, huh? Well I'll make this quick since I'm in a hurry, where can I find the Electric Man?" Agent Jones said as she held the scientist at gunpoint.

"Your not getting anything out of me terrorist! Go ahead and shoot me!" The scientist exclaimed.

"Listen, I'm trying to make this easier for you so why don't you just-"

Before Agent Jones could finish, the scientist knocked the gun out of her hand and punched her square in the jaw hoping to distract her long enough to reach the gun.

"Not so fast Rambo!" Agent Jones shouted as she kicked the scientist's reaching hand with a quick strike followed by a roundhouse kick. The scientist dodged the kicked by ducking underneath before countering with a series of wild punches that failed to make contact due to the ever agile Agent Jones. After the last punch went over Agent Jones' head, she rolled across the floor and over to the machinegun sitting on the floor and aimed it directly at the scientists head.

"Alright, alright! Please don't shoot me!" the scientist shouted as he raised his hands in the air.

"I should shoot you just for hitting a lady but I'll ignore your lack of manners if you tell me where Cole is."

"He's in the basement, room 315C, I swear!"

"See, now was that so hard? Get out of here."

The scientist nodded and was about to run off before Agent Jones pulled him back by the shoulder forcing him to turn around. Before the man could respond, a fierce left hook knocked him clear out onto the floor.

"Now we're even!" Agent Jones said with a smile before running back to where she left the group. The first thing she noticed when turning the corner to where she left her comrades was the pile of bodies on the floor in the pool of blood which she casually stepped over.

"Camping out Peter?" Agent Jones asked with a grin on her face as the others slowly exited their rooms.

"Yeah, too bad I forgot the s'mores huh?" Agent Fitzgerald said with his own matching grin.

"Did you find out where they're keeping Cole?" Zeke asked.

"Basement, room 315C. We better get a move on. I don't know how long Alden can keep our exit clear." Agent Jones replied.

"Ah, he's probably having a ball out there. Like a kid in a sandbox or something." Agent Fitzgerald commented.

"C'mon we have to help Cole!" Amy shouted.

"Enough said, let's move." Agent Jones agreed.

* * *

The hallways were not as wide in the basement as they were on the first floor which worked to their benefit. Agent Fitzgerald and Agent Jones lead the team in the front picking off any guards they spotted while Zeke covered the rear. Amy, being the only one not willing to kill, made her way cautiously in between as she checked every room for her long lost friend. She forced herself to hold it together every time they turned a corner and few more guards were laid down by the expert marksman skills of Agent Fitzgerald along with Agent Jones' pinpoint accuracy. Zeke's inexperience showed greatly as he was often caught firing off a lot more than necessary at anything that appeared to be a soldier.

They raced down the narrow hallway while the irritating panic alarm blared from every corridor and came to a complete halt when they finally reached the door they had been searching for. There were several different keypad locks sealing the door off from anyone not authorized to enter.

"Peter, I need you to hack the codes while Zeke and I give you cover fire." Agent Jones shouted as she opened the large black bag she had given Amy earlier to reveal an odd looking box with multiple color coded buttons, multiple dangling wires and a large screen.

"No problem but this is a pretty clear hallway you know. We need some kind of barricade." Agent Fitzgerald replied as he began connecting random wires to different areas on the security panels.

"Don't worry about that, we'll handle it. Just make sure you get that door open fast!" Agent Jones exclaimed.

Agent Jones ran to the first door near Cole's room and thanked God that it opened. She quickly called Zeke over to help her move the table that was inside. Once it was out of the room, she quickly flipped the steel table on its side and crouched behind it while waiting for more guards to arrive.

Cole's room was at the end of the corridor which meant that all Zeke had to do was help Agent Jones hold down their position and pray that they could get Cole awake before the guards could strategize.

"How much longer is it going to take Peter?" Amy asked as she constantly looked over to Zeke who gave her a reassuring nod.

"Any second now Ms. Dailey don't you worry you're pretty little--there done. Moya we're in!" Agent Fitzgerald shouted as he placed the device back into its bag and opened the door.

"Go get Cole, we've got company!" Agent Jones shouted before poking her out of the corridor to spot soldiers putting on bulletproof riot shields. "Let's make it fast you two!"

The sounds of machine gun fire from Agent Jones and Zeke echoed through the evacuated halls as Agent Fitzgerald and Amy rushed into the room where they found exactly what they were looking for.

"Oh my God…" Amy said quietly as she saw one of her closest friends entangled in countless cords while floating in a liquid filled container.

"Cole…what've they done to you?" Agent Fitzgerald said as he matched Amy's shock.

Amy slowly approached the large container where Cole's seemingly lifeless body floated. She placed her hand on the container and held back her tears as the idea of losing the one man she fought so hard to rescue crept into her mind. Agent Fitzgerald looked around the room and began to try to find a way to safely get Cole out of the tank. He rushed to the nearby computer and began entering different keys that showed an analysis of his current state.

"According to this Cole's still alive but he's in a sort of catatonic state but he should be fine if we get him out. Now how-"

Without a moment's hesitation, Amy grabbed Agent Fitzgerald's pistol from its holster and fire three rounds at the corner of the container trying to avoided accidentally hitting Cole. The glass shattered remarkably quickly and Cole's heavy body fell to the ground with the liquid material flowing out as well.

Amy threw the gun aside before rushing over to Cole's body and began carefully removing the oxygen mask from his face while frantically trying to call out to him.

* * *

_Cole…Cole…Time to rise and shine my love…_

"…S-Sasha? First Kessler decides to pop in and out of my mind and now you? What the hell is going on here?"

_Don't act like you forgot about me already Cole. After everything we've been through I think I deserve a 'hello'._

"You're off your rocker lady. Just get the hell out of my head."

_Oh come now, don't be afraid of me my love. I only want to help you…_

"Help me? Last time I checked you tried to brainwash me into one of your little Reaper thugs and when I didn't cave you tried to kill me."

_I wanted to make sure you had what it took to kill Kessler…which you obviously succeeded in…_

"I hate to burst your toxic bubble but I didn't do it for you, I killed him because of what he did to Trish."

_Don't get me started on __**her**__…I'm here to help you my sweet. I know what's been going on, what they've done to you…their experiments…and I'm here to make sure those bastards pay…_

"My memory is so hazy, what the hell happened to me?"

_They tried to use you as their weapon but you refused and for that they decided to experiment on you to see if they could create others like you…They're the ones responsible for all the pain you've been suffering._

"You're lying. You're just trying to mess with my head."

_Tsk tsk tsk…Why would I go and do that my beloved? I'm simply trying to take care of you like how you did for…Trish…_

"Trish…Trish!"

* * *

"Cole? Can you hear me Cole? Please wake up!"

Cole's eyes slowly opened and focused in on Amy's angelic face with her tears slowly running down her cheeks. She couldn't describe her feelings in that moment but Cole didn't share in her joy for being alive or free.

No. Cole couldn't feel anything anymore. Only rage…

"Cole what's wrong? Why are your eyes…red?" Amy asked as she tried to help Cole up on his feet but he quickly swatted her hand away.

"Stand back…" Cole said gravely as he slowly stood up.

Cole lifted his arms outward facing the broken container and the large computer monitor. He inhaled deeply and with almost no effort, the electricity from both machines leaped out and grabbed Cole's hands. The electricity danced around his hand like an animal warming up to its new master. In seconds the bright blue electricity began to alter in color. What were once bright blue bursts of electricity suddenly became deep black and red bolts of crackling power.

In an instant the electricity lit Cole's body like a Christmas decoration and Cole finally felt the relief he was aching for. When all of the electricity was drained from the machine, he looked down at his hands to notice the dark and twisted alteration of the lightning in his body. With a sinister grin on his now discolored face, the human light socket left the room without any acknowledgement to Amy or the agent accompanying her.

Cole exited the room with his most painful memories flowing through his brain. Cole saw the Ray sphere radiating with energy in between his hands just before it detonated. He saw Trish's disgusted look on her face after he was blamed for the explosion by the "Voice of Survival" despite having defeated the Reapers attempting to steal their food. Suddenly he saw a vision of Alden, Kessler, and Zeke atop Alden's mighty tower and only one thought crossed his mind.

Betrayal.

At that very moment he turned to see the familiar faces of Moya Jones and Zeke taking cover behind a table flipped adjacent to a wall as the sound of machine gun fire continued to echo through the deserted facility.

"Christ! They've got us pinned down like-" Zeke said before doing a double take. Zeke dropped his gun and his jaw at the sight of his old friend. The sounds of speeding bullets seemed to have silenced to Zeke as he slowly approached the newly freed hero. "Cole, are you alright man? I can't believe-"

Without words Cole grabbed Zeke by the collar and threw him against the wall with seemingly no effort despite Zeke's large size.

"Cole I came here to help break you out of here man!" Zeke shouted as he threw his hands in the air knowing that there was no point in retaliating, not that he actually could with his already guilty conscious.

"Trying to make up for Trish's death? Well sorry but you're too late for that gesture." Cole said with a dark tone.

"Enough Cole, we have to get out of here before they decide to just pull back and blow us sky high. They probably completely evacuated everyone already." Agent Jones exclaimed as she put her hand on Cole's shoulder.

Cole wrapped his pale hand around Agent Jones' throat as he ignited his other hand with a burst of crimson electric current. "And why on earth should I help you? You're the one who lied to me, used me, and played with me like your little errand boy making me follow orders without question."

"Who do you…hate more…me…or the people responsible…for trapping…you here?" Agent Jones said as she struggled to breathe with Cole's powerful hands chocking her windpipe.

_Leave her be my love. We'll tend the traitors later…We must punish those who want you dead first…the very one who tried to bend you to their whim._

Cole's face remained unchanged as he slowly released his grip on Agent Jones' throat. He looked back to see Agent Fitzgerald and Amy looking on in horror. Before anything could be said, Agent Fitzgerald shouted, "Riot shields! Get down!"

"Electric Man is out of his containment unit! Blow him away!" One of the soldiers said holding a protective riot shield.

Agent Jones and Zeke quickly made their way into the room with Agent Fitzgerald and Amy while Cole remained still in the hallway where the sharp sting of fast flying bullets shot through his charged tissue.

Cole's inner electric current compensated for the blood that was spilling onto the floor but the pain was still the same. To counter the endless barrage of bullets, he raised his hand to quickly form a large wall of polarized energy. Cole wanted to ensure that his enemies realized that they're weapons no longer could harm him before he showed them his true capabilities. Using his free hand, he charged a massive bundle of electricity. With a smile on his face he quickly moved the force field protecting him to launch almost a dozen small electric charges at the ceiling above the soldiers that split from its single form upon impact. Within seconds, a devastating explosion sent all of the soldiers hurdling through the air.

Cole did not wait for his "team" to follow as he continued on searching for anyone foolish enough to stand in his way. He proceeded up a flight of stairs, meeting a pair of armed guards who were hoping to avoid the immensely powerful being.

Utilizing both hands, Cole shot a pair of burning red lightning bolts directly at the hearts of his opponents. Instead of shooting short quick bursts of lightning to stun his foes, Cole didn't cease his attack's duration until he knew he gave them more than enough current to stop their hearts.

With the soldiers spread out along the floor, the group quickly exited the room.

"Cole, what did they do to him?" Amy asked as she shook her head.

"I don't know Amy but he just doesn't seem like Cole anymore." Zeke replied as he placed his arm over her shoulder.

"Look, whatever's messing with Cole is making him go berserk but he's clearing a path for us that I think we should follow if we want to get out of here alive." Agent Jones said as she rubbed her neck.

"We're right behind you Moya." Agent Fitzgerald said as he reloaded a new magazine into his gun.

"I guess-" Zeke said before being cut off by the sounds of lightning and screams which now replaced the empty facility as Cole continued his onslaught.

* * *

The emergency helicopter began to prepare for lift off as the last of the scientists were escorted onto the aircraft.

"Mrs. Alexander I'm sorry but we've got to get out of here now. This is the last helicopter on the island and if we're going to get out of here safely we better get a move on right this minute!" The panicked guard shouted as the sound of whirling blades began to spin.

"I can't leave without Ryan, please just wait a few more minutes. I'm sure he's going to show up any minute now!" Candace responded as she looked around hoping with every fiber of her being that he would walk out of the door.

"I'm sure he already left thinking you were on one of the other helicopters so would you please get onboard."

"No, we promised to meet here. He wouldn't leave without me and I can't leave without him!" Mrs. Alexander exclaimed before running back into the facility.

"Now what could ever make her go back I wonder?" Alden asked himself as he watched from a distance. The helicopter began to lift off of the ground when someone pointed to the old man standing around casually with his cane in hand. "Last one left…" Alden said coldly as he lifted both of his hands into the air toward the airborne helicopter.

"We're not moving! The controls aren't responding!" the pilot exclaimed.

"It can't be…that old man is…" the guard said to himself before the entire helicopter and its passengers felt the massive structure being lifted and turned vertically with its nose facing down toward the water. With a grin and a grunt, Alden slammed the helicopter into the depths of the ocean. The glass cracking upon impact and Alden's telepathic grip on the helicopter made a safe escape impossible. Alden dropped his hands back to his side and slowly made his way back to the main entrance.

* * *

Dr. Alexander frantically entered lightning fast keystrokes as explosions, screams, crackling electricity, and a blaring alarm constantly tried to break his concentration. He was working diligently until he heard his door open.

"Ryan!" Candace shouted as she ran up to her fiancé and wrapped her arms around him.

"Candace! What are you doing here, I thought I told you to wait for me outside where it's safe!" he shouted as he grabbed her arms and held her at arms length.

"The last helicopter just left and there's no way I'm leaving you behind." She said as she placed her soft hand on his face. He placed his hand over hers and nodded as he realized that there were more important things than data. Such things include what waits to be either his son or daughter inside of his lovely Candace.

The doors leading to the stairs explode in a beautiful yet terrifying eruption of black and crimson electricity which instantly signal the guards to come running. Cole slowly made his way through where used to be solid steel doors and cracked his knuckles while electricity crackled around his hands.

"There he is! It's Electric Man, light 'em up!" One of the guards shouted as he and the other dozen guards readied their guns before opening fire on their slow moving target.

Cole quickly lifted his glowing red arms above his head to gather all the electric power flowing within his body to manipulate the electricity in the sky above the facility. The sound of crackling thunder boomed through the sky with such ferocity that everyone inside and outside of the building felt its presence but only Cole knew exactly what was about to happen.

With a yell that could easily strike fear into the most intimidating of foes, Cole forced his electrified arms back down and with their descent came a single enormous column of twisted black and red lightning that easily incinerated the ceilings and floors of the entire building. The foolish bullets fired by the now petrified guards were easily lost into the blackness of the immense lightning bolt's dark core before it could ever reach Cole. With another barbaric shriek, Cole forced the hallway wide column of horrific crackling energy forward to where its targets stood in disbelief at the idea of one man commanding such power.

When the lightning returned to the sky, words couldn't describe the horrific scene that lay before the man Empire City had been proud to call their savior. With most of his energy drained, Cole made sure to recharge some of his spent energy by draining the electricity of the exposed wires that danced wildly where the ceiling once was.

* * *

"What was that!? It felt like an earthquake!" Candace said as she continued running down the corridors with her husband a little ahead of her.

"Cole…I knew something like this would've happened if he escaped." He replied.

"I guess that doesn't really matter now. What does matter is how you plan to get us off of this island!" Candace exclaimed as she awaited a reassuring answer from her fiancé.

"Well Cole's friends probably got here by air so I'm shooting for stealing whatever they came here on." He responded as he looked back at her and smiled.

As the pair ran through the deserted corridors and came closer to one of the exits, they heard the sounds of gunfire coming from the hallway where the door was.

"Looks like Cole found us…" Candace said as she looked over toward her beloved.

"I say we let the guards handle him while we run by. We'll just take the other exit instead. Make sure you stay behind me just incase honey." Dr. Alexander said as he quickly came closer to the source of the echoing gunfire.

The pair of guards made sure to keep their shields up as they continued firing their weapons hoping to finally put an end to Electric man. They knew if they couldn't take him down in time that they could always flee out the door not far behind them.

"Shields again? You guys never learn." Cole said as he dropped his shielding energized wall to open out both of his hands with his palms facing upward. He smiled as the electricity dancing around his arm made its way to the palm of his hands and began forming a large ball of concentrated electricity in each hand. "Here, catch!" Cole shouted as he threw the two electrified energy grenades up at the ceiling above the guards. The guards watched in awe as the two electric spheres instantly split into fourteen smaller individual shards behind them.

At that moment, Cole turned down the nearby corridor searching for more victims just before he could notice the pair of scientists running past where the small electric pieces had landed.

"Ah, what the hell are those giant sparks all over!?" Dr. Alexander shouted as he covered his head and quickly made his way past the stunned guards. When he turned back to make sure the sparks didn't hurt his fiancé, he felt the force of the explosions which catapulted him further down the hallway. The sounds of both male and female outcries accompanied by shattered glass filled the building.

* * *

Cole continued walking as the sounds of the explosions put a grin on his face. He came to an immediate halt when the voice of Agent Jones shouted, "We finally found you Cole. We have to get out of here while we still can."

"I don't need your help Moya." Cole said as he kept his back facing the others.

"Listen Cole, we never met but believe me when I say we all went through a lot to rescue you." Agent Fitzgerald said.

"If you're with Moya and Jedediah then I can't trust you either. Sorry pal." Cole said as he continued down the corridor.

"And what about me Cole?" Amy said softly.

Cole stopped where he stood and quickly turned around. "Amy…Look, I-"

"-Cole, I know we haven't seen each other in so long and I know about the whole Kessler thing. I know he's supposed to be you from the future or something but I don't care." Amy said as she stepped closer to Cole without fear. "I know you did everything you could to keep her safe and you shouldn't feel guilty for it. Trish loves you Cole. She always has and always will. I love you too, so does Zeke, and believe it or not so does Moya and Peter here. We all risked our lives to save you Cole. Now please, let's go home, to Empire City."

_Cole, do not forget how they betrayed you. You must make them pay… do it…now!_

Cole shook his head as the electricity surging through his body began to erupt out of his fingers and eyes as well as other parts of his body. Amy stepped back unsure of what was going on until she noticed Cole's new black lightning returning to its lighter blue tinted glow. His skin as well began to return to its normal complexion as he continued to fight his dark influences inside of his mind. As if shedding his old skin, he exploded with bright blue electricity after finally returning to what he considered to be normal.

_Welcome back Cole…_

"…Kessler…"

"Cole! You're back to normal!" Amy shouted in excitement as she hugged him tightly.

"Don't go breaking my bones now Amy." He replied with a smile as he looked up at the other three still cautious individuals. "I'm sorry Moya, and Zeke, oh and you too Peter."

"You didn't attack me so we were always cool man." Agent Fitzgerald said jokingly.

"Moya-"

"Now that that's settled, how about we leave?" Moya said abruptly.

"…Lead the way Moya." Cole responded.

* * *

The group approached the doorway they had entered from and noticed the monstrous battle field with countless wrecked helicopters, submarines, and jet remains scattered along the shore of the island with Alden standing alone in the middle of the wreckage.

"Well look who finally decided to show up. Wow, you actually managed to bust him out without dying. Not bad…" Alden said as he watched the group run out of the entrance door.

"Alden!? You teamed up with Alden!? You guys must've been desperate." Cole said as he gave his old foe a confused look.

"We'll explain it all on the way back…" Agent Fitzgerald said as he noticed the helicopter was not where he had originally landed it. "Alden, where the hell is the helicopter?"

"Don't get all worked up, I moved it to make sure it remained unharmed." With almost no effort, Alden lifted the helicopter from atop the building's roof and placed it gently on the ground before them.

"All aboard! Next stop, Empire City!" Agent Fitzgerald said as he ran over to the helicopter.

* * *

Dr. Alexander's head was ringing louder than the alarm was and then suddenly he remembered what had happened. He remembered the apparent shriek of his wife right after the explosions. He slowly got up, head still spinning from his hard fall. He used the nearby wall to support his weight until he saw the horrific sight.

His wife wasn't as lucky as he to make it past the grenades. The force of the explosion sent her through the thick layered glass door with almost no effort. There was no question of whether or not she still lived and he knew that despite his efforts to call out to her hoping she would open her eyes. Those beautiful eyes that remained opened, that captured his soul the moment his met hers. Once a window for him to stare at for hours when they were together was now filled with shards of broken glass. He placed his hand on her stomach, the stomach that never grew with the development of their child, the child that would never be, the family he would never have.

The tears slowly running down his cheeks dropped ever so on what used to be his fiancé. With fists clenched tighter than ever before, he rushed to where his research was. Mumbling words to himself as he passed the countless other corpses around him. "To hell with the President, to hell with Cole MacGrath, to hell with anyone who dares to stand against me. Project Prometheus will be completed and then they will all pay. Every last one of them…"

END

* * *

Author's Note II: Hmm…A lot of things left up in the air huh? What's in store for Cole's future if he can't keep his inner demons at bay? What's the President's next move now that the "secret" facility was raided? What's to happen to Moya and Peter after their involvement gets back to their agency? Can Alden really be trusted? What part does Dr. Alexander play in Cole's life now that he's thirsty for revenge? I'll leave you to speculate while I work on the next chapter. Thanks again for being so patient with me.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!


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